From the Ashes
by BatWingteenavenger
Summary: An old friend from Jacks Past has risen from the Ashes, and brought with him the new Spirit of Autumn. A Spirit Jack never thought he'd see again. Rated T to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

**Ok folks this is my first ROTG fic! Yayayay for me! I have only seen the movie, so please forgive me any error in the continuity, for i still have yet to read the books. Also I own nothing. so no sue for you.  
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**One more thing. I usually don't like having OCs in something like this, but this genre is too ripe for it! So please be nice and I promise my next one won't have one, except for maybe a kid or two extra playing with Jack XD**

**Enough rambling! Let us begin.  
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Jack Frost glided over the frozen tundra, his laugh merry as the Wind carried him to his lake. Today was the first day of winter. Actually, the last day of fall, but Jack didn't care. Today was the start of HIS season and HIS season always meant fun times and snow days...

And Jamie.

Little did he know that his first believer was just as excited to see the first snow as he was to bring it.

"Snow means Jack's back!" the child said confidently to his peers. Cupcake snickered and thudded him on the back "I hope he brings a blizzard so we can have more than one snow day!"

"Oh man yeah!"

The Guardian of Fun hated to disappoint his believers, but kept his voice cheerful and teasing as he glided down to perch on the low-built wall they were walking next to, a grin on his face as he said reluctantly

"Sorry Cupcake. Blizzards aren't common here in Burgess. At least not this early in my season. Mother would be furious if I let one loose now, especially since it's technically still Autumn's season. Autumn and I get along just fine, so I really don't want to tick her off."

The children looked so disappointed it hurt Jack just to look at them.

"But." He grinned widely "I _can _give you a few Snow Days this week."

The cheers warmed his aching heart, and he laughed mischievously with them.

A sudden pain ripped through his entire being, and he cried out and fell, much to the kids' horror.

"Jack!" Jamie yelled, dropping to his knees next to the winter spirit, "What's wrong?!"

Jack gasped and writhed a minute, then pointed to the woods "Autumn...no..."

Jamie growled and shielded his friend, but nothing came out of the woods to harm Jack. Confused, the boy looked to the Guardian and waited for him to stop writhing in pain and provide an explanation.

Jack was like that for ten minutes before standing up and rushing into the woods hollering for Autumn. Jamie and the others on his tail, until Cupcake barreled into Jamie, who had come to a stop in front of Jack's lake.

The winter spirit was kneeling over a woman clothed in fall leaves, her garments royal and elegant. Her skin was a light orange, and her auburn locks draped the icy surface, leaves crowning her head. Sobbing, he picked her up in his arms and set her on the forest floor, where the cold was not as harsh.

"No..." he whimpered. Then angrily, the wind picking up and ice forming around him, his eyes glowing blue and his staff turning white as frost covered it completely "NO!"

_Jack Frost._

The children jumped at the soft yet stern voice that seemed to whisper through the trees. The voice was like the wind, yet it seemed to encompass all of natures sounds. The rain in April, the birds in Spring, the hot winds of Summer, the leaves of Fall, and even the soft breath of snow in Winter.

Jack's sobbing ceased in volume, but the tears continued to fall as he sniffed "Mother?"

_My dear Winter. My young Guardian. Dry your tears, calm your rage, for a new spirit has already been chosen. One of your liking, this I am certain._

This seemed even less to the Guardian's fancy, as he looked around venomously "You have chosen another already?! She isn't even dead three seconds and you chose her replacement?!" he glared at the ground, a growl in his throat "Are we all that expendable?"

_You know the Law of Balance, child. _ Mother Nature said pointedly _I cannot let it be long without a season. You know this, my dear Winter._

Jack sighed. He knew better than to question Mother Nature. "That doesn't make it any less painful when we lose one. Especially Autumn. She was the only one who didn't outright hate me."

_There was another reason I came to you, Jack Frost._ The lightness in the tone prompted curiosity from the young Guardian, and he looked up, with hope burning in his eyes.

A tinkling rain like sound filled the air. Mother Nature was laughing softly.

_An old companion has risen anew._

"I don't understand. I've been alone. I have no old companions."

_Surely you have not forgotten your servant? The one who saved you from yourself 200 years ago, my Winter King. Your companion, who despite his element and purpose, was your friend, were it not for he, your winters would only mean death._

Jack's eyes lit up "The Spirit of Warmth...the Phoenix!"


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks to ilovesoda21 for the Alert! You ROCK!**

"The Pheonix?" Jamie asked, "You mean that flaming eagle bird thing that dies and comes back out of ashes or something?"

Jack nodded. "Actually there are five of them, but only one is the Spirit of Warmth."

The children looked to him expectantly, but he was in such a state of grief and seemingly oblivious to the questioning look that they soon just stood. Jack, being the Guardian of Fun, refused to be solemn for very long, though, and was soon back to grinning at his small group of believers before too much time passed.

Seeing that he still had an audience, the mischievous look returned to Jack's eyes, and he gestured them to follow away from the scene of sorrow. Once they were at his lake, the Winter King clambered up a tree and looked down mysteriously at the children, smiling in the way he always did when telling a tale.

"It was a very dark time for me." He began. "I decided to stand up for myself once...but it escalated out of my control..."

_Summer smiled as she shoved him to the ground._

"_King of Winter are you?!" the fiery redhead snarled, her breath like fire on the younger spirit as she lifted him up and blew in his face. "You are the court jester if anything! Now GIT, before I really lose my temper!"_

_His eyes glowed and ice began curling up the other spirit's arm. The voice of the very wind growled at the older season ruler as he sneered in a voice as chilling as his element, anger rising as he flung ice her way, nearly pinning her to a tree._

"_It isn't even YOUR season! Burgess is still in winter. You listen and listen good, Summer. You may push me around. You may hurt me. But don't you DARE interfere with Mother's balance!"_

_He grabbed her, though it pained him, and shoved her to the ground, his eyes dancing with a blizzard's fury, the Wind swirling around him and snow flurries dancing in the small storm._

"_Like it or not, I AM the Winter King. That being established, during Winter you have no authority over me. Now I tell YOU, Summer. Get. Out. Before I show you my true power as a season ruler!"_

_Summer flew off. Jack Frost was many things, but though she was loath to admit it, he really was the Winter King. If he grew angry it would not bode well for anyone. That was saying something, because the youngest of the Seasons rarely got so angry that it would influence his fun-loving, non-serious, easy-going character._

_Jack watched her go, a look of horror on his face. Yes, she had interfered in his season. Yes, he was not in a particularly good mood that day because he had been in one of his sulking times due to being frustrated that no one was enjoying the snow day he had brought. But his attitude towards Summer disturbed him greatly. _

_He had some right, he guessed, to be upset with her. After all, in his off-season he avoided her only to have the fiery spirit seek him out just to torment him. Last summer he had barely survived her attack, and the summer before, he had nearly literally melted. _

_She was interfering with HIS season now, and so he had expected to get a little miffed when she chose to torment him on his own turf. Unprovoked at that, he reminded himself, but still he had been harsh._

_Then, a small feeling of superiority began spreading throughout his being. Off-season, he was a total pushover, willing to take punishment from the other two seasons. Yes, two seasons alone picked on him. The other, though she wouldn't call herself his friend persay, never participated in hurting and torturing the young Winter King, and even was kind and civil when they happened to cross paths. That being said, Jack Frost at some level felt justified in telling off Summer this one time. She deserved it in his opinion, and it felt good to stand up for himself, if only this once._

_Besides, he was the spirit of Winter. The very elements were at his command. He would never openly flaunt them, but his powers were there to use if he needed. He smiled a little evily, wich scared him immediately. His fear turned into a haughty, hungry feeling as he mulled over his powers...He was Jack Frost. He was the King of Winter. Heck...he WAS Winter! _

_With this in mind, Jack sneered at the world. Shun him all it wanted, he was still Winter. Beat him into the ground and torment him. He was still Winter. Treat him like the muck in a pond, he was a KING._

_Jack was done. It was time Winter took life into his own hands._

"What did you do Jack?"

The spirit looked ashamed as he continued to kick the snow. "Well, I let my heart become as cold as ice. A hundred years alone and being bullied can do that you know. I decided that I would rule with a frigid hand instead of restraining my control over the elements."

Jamie looked sad for his 'older brother', looking him in the face with his young eyes.

"You were tired of being picked on, so you lashed out."

"Not exactly. I simply became hard and distant. Not lashing out as much as closing up. It wasn't as fun, but for some reason, I was addicted to being...cold."

_His change of attitude, and the fact that he conjured up and built himself a castle, alerted the one season spirit who was kind to the lonely Winter King that something was wrong. Something in him had snapped, and she worried for him._

"Wait a sec!": Cupcake said excitedly "You have a _Castle?!"_

Jack grinned sheepishly "If it is still standing...yes. I built it out of ice and snow, pouring my very pain, rage, and heart into the design. If you like, I can show you later. Again if it is still standing. Two hundred years is a long time for even a castle of stone to last, let alone one made from materials that erode over time."

He laughed in joy as all the children looked at him with wonder and excitement, the prospect of seeing his winter palace etched into their gaze. He sat on an icey limb of his tree and continued the tale at Jamie's behest.

_He was unaware of her concern, until one day, she paid him a visit._

_He looked more lonely than ever, surrounded by large, elegant walls, and sitting on a throne that was well-crafted but looked uncomfortable. Yet there he lounged, his eyes cold, hard and dark, weaving a small blizzard above his head with his staff. Without turning to look, he addressed her in a tone of boredom, his voice raspy and chilling, with no heart behind it._

"_Autumn."_

_Her eyes held unshed tears of sadness as she asked him sorrowfully_

"_Jack, there have been ten blizzards in five cities in the short timespan of two days. People have died of hypothermia, even the children. Why are you doing this, Jack? Is this what you want? To be known and feared as a bringer of death and cold?"_

_He looked at her, the blue eyes pitiless as a sneer graced his lips _

"_I want to be respected! Those cities did not respect Winter, so Winter hit them hard this season. It has not upset Mother, so I feel that I have done nothing wrong."_

"_But the children Jack! What have they done?"_

_His eyes, if possible, grew harder "You have no idea how much yellow snow that blizzard cleaned out. It was too much. They paid the price."_

_Autumn saw then that his heart truly had frozen over. Usually Jack Frost was devastated if he found out that his storms had caused casualties, especially if those deaths were children._

"_Your heart has become as cold as your element, Jack Frost." Her words were biting and a hiss, then louder she said, growing bold and looking him straight in the eyes_

"_Mother __has__ noticed, and sent me to see if you really had become heartless. I go now to report what I have seen, and to see what she will deem to be your punishment."_

"Jamiiiiiiiiiiiiie! Come on it's supper time!"

The Bennet boy groaned, as did the rest of the group as one by one they too were called away for supper. Cupcake hugged the winter spirit, and Jamie did after her, waving to him.\

"Don't go anywhere ok? We wanna hear the rest!"

"I promise I'll be here tomorrow Jamie. I do have to dust Germany and England tonight, but I'll be sure to continue the story tomorrow!" Jack laughed as the Wind tugged him up into the air.

As the Wind carried the winter spirit through the chilly air, he reflected on the message Mother Nature had given him. An Autumn spirit he would like...

Well for Jack, anyone who didn't torture him was ok in his book. If the new one also became his friend, it was even better. He really would prefer if they became his friend, then he wouldn't be as lonely. Yes he had the Guardians, and Jamie and his handful of believers. Sometimes he longed for another though. Someone he could bond with during his off-season instead of running for his life from them.

Laughing, the Winter King celebrated also the fact that Pheonix was back...or coming back. He twisted and flipped midair, playing with the Wind as he got to work. He stopped at a house and crouched, eyes on the fireplace as he watched the flames rise and fall. Shrugging when he saw nothing different after five minutes, Jack decided his old friend wasn't going to show himself until later. As he turned to go, a scream, an eagle cry, was heard from another house, and Jack flew, his eyes searching until he found what he was looking for in the fire.

"You really are back old friend..." he murmured happily, smiling at the little boy who curled up by the fire as tongues of transparent flame washed over him.

A tongue also caressed Jack's cheek, and instead of cringing or being greeted with pain that usually followed being touched with something hot, the winter spirit was graced with an inside warmth that left him smiling giddily. Unfortunately, he was forced away by Wind, who sped him away into the frigid clouds and towards England, where he performed his duties before going back to his lake to sleep.

He had a promise to keep after all, and he refused to be tired when his audience showed up.

**Ok everyone! This is getting underway pretty well! I need opinions though, as to wether this meets apreoval or not, so hit me hard! Until next time, chao!**


	3. Chapter 3

Jack woke to a snowball in the face that knocked him from his tree, and was followed by the insane cackling of his first believer.

"Since you gave us a snow day, our school was canceled!" Jamie said excitedly "Now we have time to listen to the story!"

"Come on Jack you promised!" Cupcake giggled, helping the winter King up from his faceplant in the snow. Jack shared in the laughter while holding his hands up in surrender and climbing the Story Tree (the name of the tree dubbed by his believers) and grinned down at them.

"Alright alright!" he giggled, "Well, Mother wasn't too happy with me, and so she decided to punish me by giving me a servant."

_He glared at the creature before him. It was neither beast nor boy, but a combination of the two, like the Tooth Fairy. But instead of the greens and blues and various other cool colors, he sported reds, golds, oranges, and yellows. His wings were a marvel to behold. They were eagle wings or hawk wings, but made of crawling feathers of flame, translucent, and for the moment, folded into his back. He stood about Jack's height, and his fiery eyes were downcast in respect. He kneeled, _

"_I am at your service, Winter King."_

_So this was his punishment? A phoenix? Jack smirked. He detested these creatures because they were his polar opposites. He guessed to keep one as a pet would be preferable, but wondered exactly how this was a punishment._

"_I don't exactly want you. So go um...guard the doors or something."_

"_I cannot. My orders from Mother Nature state that I must stay by your side at all times."_

_Ah so this was the punishment! Jack sneered and gestured to the far corner of the room. _

"_Can you at least go that far? You're melting my throne!"_

_The phoenix bowed to him and complied. Jack was annoyed. He wanted to go and spread winter, but he couldn't because his new pet would melt his snow._

"So I was stuck in my palace with something that could kill me if it wanted to. You may even say I was grounded. My heart as frozen as it had become, grew bitter. Tired of being confined, one night I snuck out and unleashed a devastating blizzard. Not as bad as '68, but pretty close. That's when it happened..."

_There were no agonized wailings. No shiverings, no hypothermic casualties...nothing that usually followed the Winter King's punishing storms._

"_Who dares mess with my deadly punishment?!" The Winter King raged, looking around in scalding anger. He went in closer, and spotted tongues of flame surrounding each of the victims in his blizzard. Flames that were translucent. In the middle of the town was a giant bird of flame, also translucent, the wings spread to cover the entire town with their warmth, protecting it from the harsh wrath of his storm. _

"_**Jack Frost..."**_

Jack instantly stopped the story and stood at attention. "Mother?"

"_**Yes my child., I know you are in the middle of Phoenix's origin story, but I am afraid your time has run out. Your servant is here with the new Autumn Spirit."**_

Jack yelled his happiness, then turned to his believers.

"Let's meet them shall we? After all, I hsve it on good authority that-"

As Jack lay eyes on the new Autumn, his voice died in his throat, and he fell to one knee, panting heavily. Kind, brown eyes looked curiously at him as he looked them straight on, his breath coming in short gasps.

"Pippa?" he asked, reaching out to the little form that danced within his tearing eyes "Is it really you?"

The little girl now dressed in Autumn's garb giggled happily and reached up to him, then leaped into his arms, knocking him over, her joy ten times his own as realization hit her the same time it did him.

"Jack!"

"It IS you! Pippa!" Jack's eyes filled with happy tears as he clutched the little girl he had died for in his arms, the world now looking ten zillion times brighter to both Overland siblings, everything else dropping into nothing as they reunited, two halves whole again. Snow began to fall, mixing with a sudden burst of Autumn leaves, but neither noticed. Neither cared.

"I missed you Jack." Pippa said, burying her face into her brother's shoulder like she always did when she was snuggling him.

"I missed you too, Pippie." He replied, hugging her close, never wanting to let go again "I just forgot for a little while. But none of that matters now. Not when you are here...I have so much to tell you...so much to say..."

"Jackie?"

"Yeah?"

"Shut up and hold me."

Jack laughed and complied.

_Someone I would approve of, eh Mother? What an understatement... _


End file.
